A conventional headset for a bicycle generally comprises a race with a bearing engaged thereto, a steering tube which rotatably extends through the bearing and a handlebar stem which is connected to the steering tube. The race has an annular recess for receiving the bearing. The bottom of the race defines the annular recess which generally extends radially outward from the top end of the head tube to which an upper headset and a lower headset are attached. The bottom of the race which defines the annular recess makes the shape of the headset assembly unattractive. Furthermore, a protruding portion of the bearing is prone to receive impacts from the outside especially when used in mountain bikes. It would be difficult to repair deformation of the race and the bottom of the annular recess caused by such impacts. A headset assembly whose bearing is completely received in the head tube and the headset assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,297, entitled as "JOURNAL FOR A FRAME FORK OF A BICYCLE" issued on Sep. 21,1993to Chi. Chi discloses a headset assembly which is used on a steering tube having a toothed portion defined in the outside thereof. The head tube of Chi's invention has to be specially designed to have a shoulder portion defined in the inside of the top thereof so as to receive the bearing therein. Therefore, such a head tube is totally different from that of the conventional one so that a high price is incurred. In addition, the bearing in the shoulder portion has to be pressed or positioned by an annular member which is threadedly mounted to the steering tube and presses the bearing. The annular member is also received in the head tube so that it is difficult to be accessed by a tool when maintenance is required. In addition, Chi's invention cannot be used on the steering which lacks a toothed portion defined in the outside thereof.
The present invention provides a headset assembly which is used on a smooth steering tube and which receives the bearing in the head tube. Furthermore, the headset assembly of the present invention is easily and conveniently maintained. Accordingly, the headset of the present invention has been developed to mitigate and/or obviate the shortcomings of the conventional headset assemblies.